Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



H. H. HPRINS.'

Breach-Loading Firmwares.

No. 143,012, Patented Septa-mber23'1873,

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

HENRY H. HOPKINS, 0F NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIREARMS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent Nol/13,012, dated September23, 1873 application filed June 3, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. HOPKINS,

of the city of Norwich, county of New Lon-` of a pistol, embodying myinvention. Fig. 2

is a detailed view, in section, of the front end of the frame,containing the retractor and adjacent parts, the section being on thedotted line y y in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view of the butt of thepistol, the breech being closed. Fig. 4 is also an end view of the buttof the pistol, the hammer being removed to expose the breech, which isopen. Fig. 5 embraces three views of the breech-plate, showing each sideand the edge of the same.

The several principal parts will be recognized and distinguished,without further lettering or specitical description.

The novel feature of this pistol consists in the peculiar deviceemployed for closing the breech, which consists of a simple plate ofsteel,notched and recessed, pivoted at the lower end in the frame, andarranged to swing laterally upon its pivot in a recess or slot in theframe.

A is the breech-plate. A slot or opening is cut in one side of theframe, immediately at the rear end of the barrel, into whichis fittedthe said plate, which is pivoted at the lower end in the frame, thepivot a passing through the hole b. In the interior of the opposite sideof the frame is cut a recess or notch, into which the side c of theplate falls, when the breech-plate is swung into place at the breech ofthe barrel, closing it. d is a small blunt-pointed pin,working in arecess made in thelower side of the front end of the.

frame, the spiral spring e acting to press it back against the frontface of the breechplate A. The end of the said pin, falling into theindentations f and f whenthe breech is closed, acts to hold the plate inposition, and rendering it necessary to apply some force to swing theplate away from the barre-l and open the breech, and when the said plateis swung into the position shown in Fig. 4, opening the breech,the saidpin, falling into the indentation f, will hold the plate in thatposition until force is applied to swing it back into the frame. h is anotch through the breech-plate, through which the hammer reaches thebutt of the cartridge, and i is an indentation in the rear face of theplate, in which the nose of the hammer may rest when the pistol is beingcarried or not in use.. la is the retractor, designed to be operated bythe tin ger in the usual way.

The operation of this breech-closing device is simple and obvious. Byplacing the thumb upon the top edge of the breech-plate, as the pistolis held in the left hand, and swinging it over to the left side thebreech is open. Then the cartridge being inserted, a reverse movement ofthe thumb swings the plate back to its place in the frame,when thepistol is loaded and ready for iirin g. The plate, bein g held on oneside in the recess, and on the other in the slot in the frame of thepistol, is supported by the entire strength of the frame, furnishing astrong and secure breech-piece.

The exceeding simplicity, cheapness, and convenience of thisbreech-closing device are obvious.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is- The combination of the barrel, stock,and hammer, and the frictioirstop d, with the swinging breech-piece A,formed of a plate of metal in which is the aperture h, and safety-notchi, as and forthe purpose specified.

.i HENRY H. HOPKINS.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL S. HOPKINS, ENocH G. BIDWELL.

